Before She Ruined It All
by ABEDFAN
Summary: A prequel to Victorious that follows the gang (Minus Tori), through their freshman year at Hollywood Arts. This is about all of the gang (Minus Tori), but it's through Robbie's POV. HAS BADE.
1. Ch 1 The Dragon Girl

Before She Ruined It All

Chapter One: The Dragon Girl

I stand in the hall placing baby bottle nipples on my newly acquired red locker, I begin hearing the whispers of my fellow students. I take a deep breath.

"You know they're talking about how weird you are,right?" Asks the voice of my wooden best friend and part-time tormentor, Rex.

"There's not much I can do about it, now is there?" I state, before placing the final nipple.

"Well, you could decorate your locker with something that doesn't make you look like Norman Bates." Rex tells me as I sigh.

"I told you they represent a simpler time, a time when I was happy." I say. I know I'm only fourteen and my life has barely begun, but I'd be okay if it just stopped right now. Damn it, I miss the old Hollywood. Back in the eighties and nineties when people actually made original shit. Nowadays it's all remakes and remixed bullshit. I look around and sigh, "I was born in the wrong time." I say.

"We both wish your mom had aborted you, now shut up and get us to class." Rex commands.

I walk into my first period class, "Creative Writing 101." I read from the white board in the front of the class. I see a rather pale girl with brunette hair with blonde highlights sitting near the back of the class on the left side of the room.

"Hey Rob, that hottie looks bored." Rex whispers.

"So?" I ask unsure of his point.

"So, go entertain her with some smooth talking." He tells me and I have to admit that she is stunning. I walk over to the desk beside her and begin to sit down.

"NO!" The girl screams at me in a growling fashion that's so scary it made me nearly piss myself. I scramble to my feet and go to a desk that is four spaces from her. I suddenly hear not only the laughter of various students, but Rex as well.

"You should have seen your face!" He says.

"Rex!" I chastise, hanging my head in shame, but not before seeing a small smirk on the face of the girl with the roar of a dragon.

After first period ends I quickly make my way out of the classroom and into the halls. I return to my locker to put away my creative writing supplies and gather my notebook for my musical composition class that starts in three minutes.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" Comes an all too familiar and frightening voice. I turn around and see the girl who looks ready to tear my head off. "You just keep getting creepier, don't you puppet boy?" She asks. "Not only do you talk to a wooden doll, but you're the freak with baby bottle nipples on their locker?" She adds.

"I...Uh, it's Robbie." I say in a quiet voice.

"What?" She asks with an irritated look in her eyes.

"My name, it's Robbie..Robbie Shapiro." I say louder, yet still sounding like a scared kid.

She smirks and reaches inside her locker. "If you even think about flirting

with me, I'll have your nipples on my locker." She says as she pulls out a pair of sharp looking scissors. "Got it, Shapiro?" She asks and I quickly nod my head.

"Wh..What's your name?" I ask.

She looks at me, not with a smirk, but with a bit of an actual smile and says, "My name's Jade West. Learn it, fear it, obey it."


	2. Ch 2 The King of the Keys

**A/N: Hey, sorry it took so long! Special thanks to my Liz, who I literally couldn't do this without. Review and/or PM me comments and suggestions. Check out Victoriously Jade: Season One, by: CrazySerena13**

* * *

Chapter Two: The King of the Keys

After the bell rings and Jade walks off, I race to my next class. Once inside the classroom, I notice that everyone is standing around some guy with dreadlocks and a keyboard. As I get closer, I gain the same amazed look on my face as the other students. The guy was working on a song he was writing, but the impressive part was how well he knew how to read and write the actual music. Most freshmen who were that good are usually in the AP classes, so he was automatically prime partner material. Once I got a clear view of him, I saw that his bag had his name on it. "Andre Harris." I read aloud subconsciously.

"That's my name, what's yours?" Andre asked me, but I stood there mouth agape as I was too nervous to speak.

"I'm Rex, and this is my dummy Robbie," Rex said, earning a look of shock from the keyboard player in front of us.

"Wait, so is the puppet Robbie, or Rex?" Andre asked.

"Oh hell no!" Rex said, "You did not just call me a puppet, I will break your effing-" I stop Rex from making me seem even crazier than I am.

"Sorry, puppet is an offensive term." I say, "He's really sensitive about his condition," I add.

"Oh, I get it. You're one of those method performers," Andre said, and I just decided to go with it.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I am." I say, as it's easier than explaining Rex to another person. I put Rex in my bookbag. "I'm Robbie Shapiro," I greet him with an extended hand. Andre shook my hand happily.

"Andre Harris, good to meet you Robbie" he said.

I smile at him. "You're great on that keyboard, they should call you, 'The King Of The Keys', or something like that," I say.

Andre looks at me thoughtfully. "That's not a bad idea, I should put that on a poster," he said.

"Hey Andre, I could help you film some of your songs and put it on Splashface if you want?" I say and he smiles.

"Dude, that would be amazing!" he said. "Oh, and you gotta have lunch with me and this guy I met during first period. He is a hit with the chicas," he added.

"Really, you want me to have lunch with you?" I ask and he laughs a little.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asks rhetorically. Just then I see the teacher walk in.

"Yo teach, you're tardy!" Rex spouts, which gains a laugh from the class.

The teacher looks at me and surprisingly laughed a little. "Class, I'm Mr. Conners," he introduces himself, "And today we'll be talking about drugs and how you don't need them to be a good songwriter."

* * *

As I wait in line at the food truck, I see Jade yelling at that pretty boy who had girls around him before. To my surprise, he's just smiling through it all. I turn around and order my vegan burrito and a red powerade. After three or four minutes, the man in the truck hands me my order and I turn to see Andre waving me over. I smile and walk over to the

table, only to see Jade sitting at the table as well.

"Ummm...Hey, J..Jade." I stutter as I sit down. I'm just hoping she doesn't kill me, or hurt my burrito.

"Ugh, why is this thing sitting at our table?" Jade groans and gestures to Rex.

"Because I invited him and his uh, friend," Andre replies. I smile at him gratefully, and Jade just sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Hey baby, why you gotta be like that? Rex can make you...mmmmff." I quickly cover Rex's mouth with my hand.

"You're taking a time out." I tell him, before placing Rex in my bookbag. I open the container that holds my burrito and smile.

"Smart move, Shapiro." Jade says in a deadly serious tone. There's an awkward pause at the table.

"Oh yeah. Robbie, this is Beck," Andre tell me, breaking the silence and gesturing to the guy that I had seen Jade yell at earlier.

"Hey man, what's up?" Beck then greets me with an easy-going smile.

"Hey, well I'm not getting swarmed by the ladies like you," I say and in response he laughs a little.

"Trust me, it's more of a curse than a gift," Beck tells me and I mentally roll my eyes.

Just as I'm about to take a bite of my burrito I feel someone poke at my hair and giggle. I turn around to see a slightly small girl with curly hair that's dyed a vivid bright red color.

"Sorry, I just had to do that," she tells me as she sits next to Jade.

I start to warn her not to, but then Jade smiles at her. I assume they're friends and drop it.

"It's fine, it happens all the time." I tell her honestly. "I'm Robbie," I say in hopes of learning her name. "I like your hair," I add.

"Thanks, I'm Cat." She says with a smile, that for some reason, seems to make the world a little brighter.


	3. Ch3 A Bird Caught in The Talons Of Jade

**Thank you for all the reviews and follows and favorites! Also thank you for being patient with me and how long it took for me to write another chapter. I've been having writer's block and recently had a death in the family. Anyways Please review and leave any suggestions or maybe an idea or two that you might help make this story more compelling. XoXo, ABED.**

Chapter 3: A Bird Caught in the Talons of Jade

It had been three weeks since I had started attending Hollywood Arts, and I had to admit that aside from the occasional time Rex would make things awkward between myself and our newly acquired friends, I was having the time of my life. Beck even gave me a few tips on my accent skills for Canadian characters. Andre and I have been writing melodies and making up silly jingles for products we would see in our living rooms. Hell, even Jade hasn't hit me in two WHOLE days! The only person I'm having trouble with is Cat, I just can't seem to get a read on her. You see, I've noticed that sometimes she can sound kinda, how do I put it…..'Quirky?' Yeah, let's call it that. I've also noticed that she can be a little overly sensitive and seeing as how I have Rex with me basically all the time, I'm so afraid that if he says something mean she'll cry. And if her smile and her laugh are so bright and beautiful that it could melt the Grinch's frozen heart, I'd hate to see what a legitimately sad Cat would do to a person.

"Yo, Shapiro!" Screams a strong voice that breaks me from my thoughts. I look over and see that it's none other than Ms. Jade "The Dragon" West staring at me with an irritated glare.

"Oh, sorry I was distracted." I told her with a small chuckle.

"Yeah, I can see that." She said with a snort that made me feel like an idiot. "I asked why you didn't bring that wooden abomination to school today." She said repeating herself which is something I have learned she absolutely loathes doing.

"He wanted to skip and spend the day with some girl from Northridge, so I dropped him off before school." I tell her with a steady voice.

"You gotta be fucking with me, right?" Jade asked and I shook my head no. "Damn, those girls really are as idiotic as I thought." She commented.

"Anyway, do you think you're ready for your turn performing The Bird Scene today?" I ask her. I knew she was still peeved at the fact that It took me so long to get it right that she couldn't audition for for Hollywood Arts' production of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'

"What are you an idiot?" She asks me rhetorically. "I can perform that kindergarten level play perfectly, even if I was getting my nose pierced at the same time." She stated smugly. "In fact, I might just do that." She said with a cocky smirk.

I just look at her speechless as she struts away towards the Wahoo Punch machine. " _That girl is absolutely crazy."_ I think to myself.

 _ **One hour later…**_

"Okay class, put your hands together for Ms. West as she attempts to perform The Bird Scene!" Sikowitz says and we applaud as Jade saunters onto the mini stage.

"Hold on." She says with a devilish grin, as a tan woman in a white coat enters the room getting on the stage as well.

" _OH. MY. BISCUITS."_ Is all I could think to myself as the whole class watched Jade perform the Bird Scene without flaw as she simultaneously got her nose pierced.

 _ **A few minutes later…..**_

I look back and see Sikowitz with his mouth agape just staring at the now bowing Jadelyn West.

"You're welcome." She says and sits down, while the piercing technician exits the room.

Sikowitz then coughed, flattened his hair on the sides of his head and just simply said "Well done."

I looked over to where Jade was sitting next to Beck, who had the biggest grin I had ever seen. He looked as if her performance just tickled him pink. Behind them was a wide eyed Cat who was poking at Jade's nose asking if it hurt.

I turn to Andre, who was next to me. "Did Jade just become a legend?" I ask him.

He just laughed and said, "If any freshman could become a legend in the first semester, it would be her."

 _ **11:00 P.M. That Night…..**_

As I lay in bed next to a snoring Rex, I can't help smiling at the way my life seemed to be turning around. I close my eyes and for the first time in a very long time, I feel completely content with the world around me. As the faint sound of passing cars lull me to sleep I think, " _Hollywood Arts is where I belong."_


	4. Ch4 CATastrophic Emotions

**Hi peoples, it's ABEDFAN. I promise I have not forgotten this fic. here's a new chapter for You!**

 _It took one month, four days, six hours, and twelve minutes, of being friends with Cat before I actually could say I knew her. Before I could truthfully say that I understand a fraction of who she is._

 ** _Two days earlier…._**

I look over at the redhead next to me in the back seat of her brother's car as he drives us to the mall. I then look at the driver his name is Frankie, he's twenty and he seems like a pretty cool dude, especially after what I've heard about him in school. Apparently he went to Hollywood Arts about five years ago as an artist, he even helped paint some of the school's wall designs. But he was expelled after some incident, nobody ever goes into details about it, but they say it was really bad. But so far he seems normal enough.

"So do you want to get Mexican and froyo, or Korean and Cinnabon?" Cat asks me, her eyes filled with excitement and glee.

I purse my lips in a silly thinking face to make her laugh (Which I succeed) and say, "Definitely Korean and Cinnabon, froyo and Mexican is end of activities food, and we want to be able to still run around the mall after our meal." I tell her.

"You speak true words my curly haired friend." Cat says using her laid back Beck impression, which never fails to make me snort and laugh like a huge nerd.

 ** _Fifteen minutes later…_**

So after parking and heading to the food court, Frankie offered to wait in line and order for all of us. So I find myself playing a game of to slow on the table with Cat.

"Ha Ha, too slow Robbie." Cat giggled as I failed to catch her hands for the third time in a row.

"Well you have the advantage of cat like reflexes." I try to justify.

"Excuses, excuses." She states proudly.

"Here we go, kiddos." Frankie said as he put the trays holding containers of good on the table.

Cat and I both smile as we all begin to dig in.

 ** _Twenty minutes later…_**

After eating Frankie told Cat to call his phone if she had any problems or when we were ready to go, before he went off to do his own thing and give us some privacy to hang out as friends.

"Thanks again Robbie for coming to the mall with me, Jade doesn't like going on the weekends, she says there are too many people smiling." Cat tells me with pink tinted cheeks.

"Anytime Cat, it's nice hanging out with you, almost like those days when you're young and recess feels like it lasts forever." I say admiring the blush she gets so often. "You know, what I mean?" I ask.

"I actually totally get it." She says. "And thanks for leaving Rex at home, I like him, but I don't think Frankie would." Cat said.

"He's an acquired taste, I've known that for a while." I say.

We continue just walking around the mall talking, chasing each other around, even playing a childish game of tag at one point for about forty-five minutes until we saw a crowd surrounding what seemed to be someone making a huge scene. That's when I saw all the lightness and fun drain from Cat's face as she ran through the crowd and I ran after her.

"STOP IT!" Frankie yelled at a animatronic clown. "STOP LAUGHING AT ME!" He yelled one final time before throwing a speaker at the robotic clown stopping the recorded laughter as it smashed into it.

"Frankie!" Cat yelled in a concerned yet disappointed tone as mall security grabbed him by the arms.

"You know this man?" One of the guards ask Cat.

"Yes, he's my brother, he's troubled." She said.

The guard nodded with understanding, "We still have to escort him off the premises."

"And our parents will receive a bill for the damaged property, it's fine." Cat said.

I just stood there watching mouth agape as it unfolded. Then Cat turned to look at me, saw my face and wiped a year from her eye before saying, "You'll have to call your mom or someone to pick you up, I think it's best if you don't ride home with us." She didn't sound irritated, but embarrassed, embarrassed that I had seen, but not surprised.

As she walked away with the security officers and her brother, i pulled out my phone and texted my mom.

 ** _Present…_**

I sit at lunch with the rest of the gang waiting for Cat to show up. A few minutes later she does just that.

"Hi Beck, Andre, Jadey, Robbie, and Rex." She said brightly.

"So you haven't fallen down the rabbit hole yet?" Rex asked and Cat looked puzzled.

"Shut it up, Shapiro." Jade said putting a hand on Cat's.

I glare at Rex, as Beck asks how Cat's weekend was.

"Pretty boring, my brother killed a robot clown." Cat said gaining looks from the others.

The way she said it, with a false sense of boredom showed me how scared she was. Scared of being like him.

It took one month, four days, six hours, and twelve minutes, of being friends with Cat before I could actually say I knew her. Before I could truthfully say that I understand a fraction of who she is.

She's the bravest person I know.


	5. Ch5 Actors Act All The Time

Ch. 5 Actors Act All The Time

 **A/N:So here we are with another chapter.**

I wake up on the floor of the lavish mini mansion that is the Oliver residence. As I sit up I let out a loud groan, and look around. I see Rex on the couch between two northridge girls and shake my head. I then see Cat snuggled up it a chair cuddling a beer bottle. Jade's asleep on the floor next to Cat with Andre on the other side of Cat's chair, obviously they fell asleep guarding Cat's passed out form from any creepers who might try taking advantage of the poor tipsy ditzy girl. I see others spread out through the house sleeping off what had to be the party of the century. As I walk through the house, I see Beck sitting on the edge of the pool, slowly moving his feet in the water as he looks off into the distance. From that spot you can see the hollywood hills, and you have a great view of the hollywood sign. I walk up behind him and slowly sit next to him, not really saying anything, just admiring the view like him.

"Did you enjoy the party, Robbie?" Beck asks me in his ever calm tone. I stammer a bit, as I'm pulled out of the daydream state I was currently in.

"Uh..Yeah, Man..It was totally rockin'." I say, bobbing my head, simply because it's what I think is the cool thing to do.

"That's good Rob, you deserve to let loose every now and again." He says with a chuckle and his signature smile. That smile that when you see it, just seems like the most genuine thing in the world. Come to think of it, Beck's probably the most genuine person I've ever met in my life.

"How about you, Beckster? Did you get any closer to sealing the deal with Miss West and making it official?" I ask, giving him a knowing smile. He turns to me with that smile as he plays coy.

"Whatever do you mean, Mr. Shapiro?" He asks me in a formal tone that is just as playful as it would seem. "Me and Jade...It's weird." He says as I give him a questioning look. "When I'm with her, I feel vulnerable. Like somehow she can see through me, you know?" He says. "She isn't seduced simply by my looks or my money, or my charm. She's making me earn it, like I have to pass some test to be with her. She's a challenge. She's difficult in the best way." He adds.

"Wow. You know, for having only met her a couple months ago, you seem to be falling fast." I say in a slightly teasing tone.

"What can I say? when I get a feeling, I go with it. And I feel like Beck and Jade is the title of an epic." He says. He reaches into the left pocket of his denim jeans and pulls out a pack of marlboro reds. He pulls one out, placing it between his lips and lighting it before taking a deep drag, slowly inhaling and exhaling the smoke. He then gestures the pack to me, "Only if you want to." He quickly follows up.

"Sure, thanks." I say as I pull one out, and place it between my lips. Beck reaches over and ignites his zippo, lighting my cigarette for me. While I've never really had the urge to smoke, or been the kind to try new things, Beck make me feel like a different person. He makes me want to let go and not worry about the chemicals currently filling my lungs as I inhale and exhale coughing slightly.

"I take it, you've never smoked before?" He asks as he stifles his laughter. He pats my back in a friendly way.

"Whaaaat? No, I smoke all the time. Especially when I go cliff diving." I say sarcastically. "Yeah, but don't think you peer pressured me or anything, isn't kind of in the actors handbook that you have to go through a smoking phase?" I laugh as I take another drag.

Beck laughs mid inhale, which makes him cough up smoke. "Yeah, I guess it is." He tells me. I look at him, and at the water.

"So...The place is pretty trashed, you think you can clean it up before your parents get home?" I ask concerned that he might get in trouble. He shakes his head with a small smile before looking at me.

"Why would I clean it up?" He asks me like it was an obvious question. "That would be like erasing it, like it never happened. Every action has a consequence, whether it's good or bad. And if I try to prevent or change the consequence, it's no longer real. It's not genuine." He says. He looks at me, "What's better, those posed family portraits or those mid-laugh kind of blurry backyard barbeque pictures?" He asks me and waits for my answer.

"Definitely the second one, I've done the first way to many times. By the end of it, everyone's irritated and uncomfortable and forcing their smiles." I say.

"Exactly. And those fake moments are forced upon us too often. So in order to gain genuine experiences and grow as an actor, I have vowed to keep as many of my experiences as real as possible. And if it pisses off my parents, well so be it." He adds.

"There's a lot going on in that pretty head of yours, isn't there?" I ask with a smile.

"You've got no clue." He said. We both take a drag of our cigarettes as we just look at the hills.

Beck ruffles my hair, and puts his arm around my shoulder.

"I like talking to you Rob, you're a good listener." He says.

"Thanks, Beck. You too." I say.

"Like I said, when I get a feeling, I go with it. And I got the feeling that we're gonna be really good friends." He says. And I feel myself lighten a little bit, because I think I may have just made and actual genuine best friend. At least one that isn't a small ball of insults and wood.


	6. Ch 6 A Nuclear Family

**A/N: Welcome all to Chapter Six: A Nuclear Family Leads To Radiation Poisoning. I know I like that title too. Let's get to the story. I've decided to start writing rex's dialogue in italics as well as Robbie's thoughts. The difference is Rex's dialogue will be followed by Rex said or Rex says.**

It's been a few days since Beck's epic party and I haven't slept for either of them. Rex and I have been talking almost as much as before I met the gang, because of the yelling coming from the living room.

" _So tell me about that song idea again."_ Rex said as we sit on our bed.

"I thought you said it was stupid?" I ask him with a questioning look.

" _Well I'd rather hear the stupid song idea than the stupid parents."_ Rex told me with a sigh.

"I know, they aren't usually like this. They usually just ignore each other." I comment.

 _ **The next day.**_

I sit at a table with the gang at lunch as we laugh at the strange events that happened on Andre's date last night.

"So when she went to the bathroom, I paid the bill and got outta there. I'm just glad we met there, and we didn't have an awkward ride home with her parents or even worse my grandma. " Andre said with a chuckle and a shake of his head.

"You still paid the bill, that's so sweet Andre." Cat said sweetly as she gave him a quick hug. "You're such a gentleman."

"I definitely would've stuck her with the bill, after ordering the most expensive item of course." Jade remarked, making me snort.

She looked my way with an arched brow, "You got something you wanna add, Puppet Boy?" she asked. "Tell us your worst date story." she added.

I pause for a second, trying to come up with something. Not really being the biggest ladies man.

"I, um-" I start, but get interrupted.

"You have been on a date before? Only a total geek would be fourteen and never had a date." Jade cut me off, earning a glare from Beck.

" _Robbie having a date would be like me dunking a basketball. Or you not haunting the dreams of small children."_ Rex commented. I shuddered at the first part, but felt slightly better that he made a crack at Jade too.

Of course that didn't last long when I saw the wide eyes and flared nostrils of Jade.

"For your information Shapiro, I LIKE the fact that I scare kids. They're annoying and gross. The thought of me being the source of their nightmares lulls me to sleep at night," she says looking directly at me, as usual completely ignoring Rex. "I'm getting really annoyed with your 'my puppet is real' gimmick," she adds using air quotes.

My upper lip twitched and my eyes darted to meet hers,

"Well everyone's getting annoyed of Miss Jagged Little Pill. You're begging people to notice how " _Edgy"_ you are, and it's sad, don't you think Alanis?"

I blurt out before I can stop myself, i look around at the shocked faces and see Cat hiding in her jacket. Even Rex's jaw is dropped.

I look over at Jade who is gripping a very sharp looking pair of scissors, but notice her hand is slightly shaking. Her eyes are a bit more glazed than usual. I don't know why but I think she was actually hurt by what I said.

I quickly stuff Rex into my backpack as Jade slowly starts toward my direction.

"Rob, you should run." Beck said in a calm, but worried tone.

And I listen. I run as fast as I can, as far as I can. I don't think about the fact that I left Rex, I don't think about anything. I just keep running. Running until my legs feel like they're about to give out. When I finally stop, I'm probably about a half of a mile away from the school.

I scream a short loud scream, as I put my hands on my head.

 _I ruin everything. I should've just taken her insult. I should've just been quiet._ I think to myself.

I take out my phone and call a cab.

/\/\/\

 _Four hours later…_

I sit in my room as I listen to my parents argue.

"He's a loser, Diana. And there's obviously something wrong in his head, I mean he's fourteen for fuck's sake! He shouldn't be attached to a God-Damned Puppet like he is, it's weird!" My father says in the i next room.

"He just has problems, but what am I supposed to do about it, Hugh?" My mother retorts.

"We could start by taking away that thing." Dad says. "Do we really want him taking that thing to college?" He asks.

"No. But he'll grow out of it by then." Mom says.

"If he isn't acting like a normal kid soon, I'll make him destroy it myself." My father says before storming out of the house, slamming the door.

I turn over in my bed and close my eyes. Letting sleep take over.

 _Tomorrow will be better. It has to be._ I think.


	7. Ch 7 The Test

**A/N: Welcome back. This takes place the very next day from where chapter 6 left off. Jade's notes will be in bold. Love You My Liz,**

 **-Your Matt.**

I awake in a cold sweat before grabbing my phone and checking the time.

" 7:42 AM, ugh." I say as I roll on my back and instinctively go to wake up Rex. But I notice that his spot is empty and I immediately remember that I didn't take Rex or my Bag with me before fleeing a murderous Jade.

I start getting dressed when I get a phone call from Jade, so I answer.

"Hey Jade" I say.

"You missing something, Shapiro?" Says Jade's voice from the other end.

"Jade, You didn't…" I say not wanting it to be true.

"Oh but I did, little Robbie. I did." She says in a super villainess tone of voice. "The question is how badly do you want your doll and belongings back?" She asks.

"Please don't hurt Rex, Jade." I beg and hear a sigh.

"It's a fucking puppet Shapiro I can't hurt it." She says annoyed. "Go to the coffee joint on Murphy street, and tell the barista with purple dreads who you are, she'll give you one of your belongings along with further instructions." She tells me. "Oh, and Shapiro...You better hurry." She hangs up.

I shove my phone in my pocket and run out of my room and through the house ignoring my parents and little sister as I exit the house and hop on my 10 speed bike. I begin to peddle as fast as I could, thankful that the coffee place isn't all too far from my house, just a few miles.

The whole time I'm peddling I think about what Jade might be doing to Rex, and wondering why she always has to pick on me. Why she has to make everyone miserable just because she is.

I make it to the coffee shop and lock up my bike, before going in and walking up to the side of the counter the girl with the purple dreads is at.

"Excuse me miss, I'm Robbie Shapiro, I was told you have something for me." I say as I catch my breath. She looks at me with a slight look of amusement and hands me a cup of coffee and my creative writing notebook.

"I don't know what happened, but you really ticked the girl off dude." She tells me. "What you need to know is on the coffee cup, good luck." She adds, before helping another customer.

I look at the cup and read the note,

" **Go to the Poetry Joint on Joyner Blvd. and perform. You've already been signed up for a spot today, don't miss it."**

"This might take longer than I thought." I say to myself and run out of the door and head that way.

I take my bike and and begin racing towards The Poetry Joint, almost running over a few pedestrians along the way. Nothing was on my mind, other than the single mission I had: Save Rex. Nothing was more important, he was my best friend after all. Tears flying from my face as I sped through the city streets, thoughts of the only person who ever cared about me in my head.

"I'm coming Rex, don't you worry." I whisper in a raw voice. I stop in front of what I'm hoping is my last destination before getting back to Rex, and in my adrenaline fueled state I throw my bike to the ground and run in.

Just as I enter the building, I see Jade on the stage and it seems like she's either in the middle or near the end of her poem. I'm actually quite confused, because I wasn't expecting her to be here let alone performing.

"I guess this is the final test." I say to myself as I glance I my sweaty, shaky palms. I take a seat and look back to the stage and start listening just in time to hear the last few lines of Jade's poem.

"...And though you dream of brightly colored houses, and white picket fences, you'll never go anywhere seeing the world through your shattered lenses.

For the world is vast and filled with joy,but it's also dark, and gritty, and senseless."

Jades says, before getting a generous amount of applause. She gives a small smile, a wave or two and a wink to someone Robbie couldn't see backstage, which he thought was very odd of Jade. He watches as she walks off stage and directly towards him,

"Hey Shapiro, what brings you here?" She asks feigning innocence, her arms in their natural crossed position. Her stare is enough to send shivers down my spine.

"WHere's Rex? Is he safe!?" I ask desperately not knowing if he was dead or alive, if he was scared and alone.

"Calm your pants, puppet boy." She said. "IT is just fine...For now." She told me emphasizing the word 'It.' smirking as she said that last part.

I rubbed the back of my head looking off to the side, "So uh...Who's backstage?" I ask not knowing what to say.

"Oh, I didn't mention it in the note? The whole gang's here, we're really excited to see you perform." SHe arched her eyebrow, in a challenging way. "Better get up there, if you know what's good for you and your...Little wooden friend." She added.

I gulped swallowing the lump in my throat, or at least I think it's a lump, but to be honest it felt more like a boulder. I walk past her, not making eye contact as I do. Each step leading up to the stage feels like climbing a mountain. As I get to the center of the stage where the microphone stands I look behind me, at my group of friends, who I'm sure don't have any idea what Jade is up to.

"Woo! Go Robbie!" Cat cheered as she jumped up and down clapping her hands.

"Get him Rob!" Beck encouraged.

"You got this!" Andre said using cupped hands in a megaphone like method.

I look back to the crowd, after giving an awkward wave to my friends and clear my throat. "Um...hi, I'm Robbie Shapiro and this is a poem I wrote." I say stuttering slightly. From the moment I read Jade's note I already knew the poem I was going to read. The only one that would be quote un quote 'Real' enough for Jade. I begin to my poem, as I stare down Jade.

"I stare at the wall, the broken glass

I search for your soul, just an empty mass

I need someone to pull me through

I need someone who isn't you

We never did the things we were supposed to do

I don't recall one happy time, do you?

How could you be so dumb, so very obtuse

To not understand the power you abuse…"

As I was speaking I stared Jade down, and before I knew it I had started crying without realizing. I run off stage not finishing the poem, as I run past Jade and out the door I faintly hear Jade's voice call out, "Shapiro, wait!"

But I don't stop, I just keep running and I don't stop.

 **A/N: So yeah...Sorry for the long wait. I was going to resolve this in this chapter, but I decided to start having longer story arcs so that I can go day to day when it comes to the timeline. I couldn't have done this without CrazySerena13, my Liz.**


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